Coin-controlled mechanism for vending apparatus.



0. L. BRISTOL L A. F. VORCE. COIN CONTROLLED MECHANTSTW FOR VENDINGAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED IULYIS, 1914.

Patented A131113, 191l5.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ILLLT" .Tull

WlTN ESSES THE MORRIS PETERS CLL PHOTaL/THO.. WASHINGTON, D. C.

v0. L. BRISTOL & A. F. VURCE. n G01N coNTRoLLED MECHANISM FOR VENDINGAPPARATUS.

w V M APPUCAUON FILED lULY l5, 1914.

nl A33 AJA A Patented Apr., 13, 1915 Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTORS WITNESSES ATTORNEY [HE NORRIS PETERS co.l PHOTO-LITHU..WASHING roN, D l:A

Cil

smarrita remar rien,

GRIN LOREN BRISTOL-AND ALBERT FRANK VORCE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN;SAID BRISTOL ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SPAR/TA MFG. CO., OFGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

COIN-CONTROLLED MECHANISM FOR VENDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

-llmatented Apr., f3, lll,

Application led July 15, 1914. Serial No. 851,147.

,To all eti/1.0m it may concern Be it known that we, @Rin L. BRISTOL andALBERT F. Voiron, citizens of the United States, residing at GrandRapids, in the county of Kent, and State of Michigan, have invented anew and useful Coin-Controlled ltllechanism for Vending Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvemonts in coin controlledmechanism for vending apparatus, and its object is to provide amechanism of the character stated which shall be free from liability ofsurreptiticus operation or extraction of coins already inserted, andshall further be free from liability of inoperativeness due to cloggingof the coins or the deflection of the coins from the proper channels.

Tn accordance with the present invention there is provided amanipulating member for the vending apparatus and this manipulatingmember is under the control of a lock mechanism which may be released byan inserted coin, and this lock mechanism is controlled by springs sothat it may not be operated by simply inverting or otherwise placing thestructure, and the lock mechanism is so constructed that by means ofpawl and ratchet devices the manipulating member cannot by suddenimpulses or jerks be moved actively to any extent at all. Furthermorethe coin chute is so constructed that coins will readily find their wayinto proper position with relation to the operating mechanism withoutclogging and cannot be readily material departure from the salientfeatures of the invention.

Tn the accompanying drawings :QF igure l is a front elevation of aportion of a vending machine constructed in accordance with the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is arear elevation of the structure shown in Figs. l and 2 with part of thecasing in section and other parts broken away. Fig. e is a view similarto Fig, 3 but showing a different phase of operation and also indicatingthe coin chute in section. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig.3. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Fig. l with parts shown inelevation and drawn to a larger scale.` Wig. 7 is a perspective view ofone of the pawls employed in the structure. Fig. 8 is a perspective viewof another one of the pawls.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a portion of a casing l whichmay be of any construction suitable for the purpose, and as theconstruction of this casing does not enter into the present invention,detailed description of the casing need not be given. Carried by thecasing preferably exterior thereto is a vending mechanism 2, the con- Ystruction of which does not enter into the present invention, and,therefore, needs no special description. This vending mechanism in theparticular instance shown may be of a type whereby perfume can be vendedand as the perfume is usually in liquid form, an atomizer structure 3may be provided. This atomizer structure is under the control of amanipulating member i having a push piece 5 on one end of a slide 6which is mounted on one face of one wall of the casing, and this wallmay be termed the front wall. The slide G is also under the control ofan angle lever 4a having a handle 5EL and an arm 6a in engagement withthe push piece 5 so that the lever may be used instead of the push pieceto actuate the slide. Through the front wall of the casing there isproduced a narrow elongated slot 7 with which the slide 6 is coincidentand on the other or rear face of the front wall of the casing there ismounted a plate 8 connected t0 the slide 6 by rivets 9 or other suitableconnecting devices extending through the slot 7, so that the slide 6 andplate 8 are connected together for simultaneous movement, and when theslide 6 is caused to move in the direction of the length of the slot 7by a force applied to the push piece 5 the plate 8 participates in suchmovement. rlhe arrangement is such that when a propelling force isapplied to the push piece 5 and the slide 6 is free to move in theproper direction the atomizer 3 is operated in a manner to produce aspray of perfume which may be caught upon a handkerchief which it isdesired should be perfumed. The plate 8 is in the general form of anelongated rectangle with fingers 10, 11, 12 and 13 at the respectivecorners, The finger 10 is bent into spaced returning relation to onelong side of the plate 8, and as will hereinafter appear, serves as aguard. The finger 11 is an angle finger extending from the plate 8 in adirection lengthwise of the latter and then away from the correspondinglong side of the plate in a direction perpendicular thereto and has afunction which will hereinafter appear. The finger 12 extends from thecorresponding long side of the plate 8 in a direction substantiallyperpendicular thereto and serves as a stop finger, as will hereinafterappear. The finger 13 extends from the same long side of the plate 8 asthe finger 12, but from the end of the plate remote from the finger' 12and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the long side of theplate, and this finger is adjacent to the plate 8 so bent as to lie at agreater distance from the inner face of the front of the casing 1 thanthe plate, so as to be spaced from such inner face. The bent portion ofthe finger is indicated at 1li. From this bent portion the finger iscontinued first in a direction parallel with the corresponding long sideof the plate 8 and then is continued along the corresponding end of theplate 8 substantially parallel therewith to a point substantiallycoincident with the other long side of the plate 8 where the fingerterminates in a tooth 15 projecting in a direction away from the plate8,

and where the tooth 15 joins the finger 13 there is produced a notch 16for a purpose which Will presently appear.

Connected to the inner face of the casing 1l by a pivot 17 is aplate-like pawl 18 terminating at a point remote from the pivot 17 in atoe 19 normally projecting toward the finger 13 and the pawl 18 is alsoprovided with a tooth 20 overlying the pawl and spaced from the innerface of the front of the casing 1 to an extent to engage the tooth 15and lodged at its free end in the notch 16. The pawl 18 at a pointremote from the toe 19 is provided with an ear 21 to which is connectedone end of a spring 22,

the other end of this spring being made fast to the casing 1 by a studThe tendency of the spring 22 is to maintain the tooth 2() in the notch16 and against the tooth 15 and when the parts are in this position theplate 8 is locked against longitudinal movement by the engagement of thetooth 2() in the notch 16 and by the engagement of one of the rivets 9with the corresponding end of the slot 7. This locks the plate 8 and theslide G, as well as the manipulating member 4E against extended movementin either direction.

Pivoted to the inner face of the front of the casing adjacent the plate8 is a pawl 2li terminating at one end in a tooth and a shoulder 26adjacent thereto. Also pivoted to the inner face of the front of thecasing is another pawl 27 terminating in a tooth 28 in position toengage the shoulder 26 of the pawl 24 adjacent the tooth 25. The pawl 24and the pawl 27 are each mounted in the casing adjacent that long edgeof the plate 8 from which the fingers 1() and 11 project and for anappropriate length of such long side it is formed with ratchet teeth 28ain position to be engaged by the tooth 25 of the pawl 24: and sodisposed that when so engaged the plate 8 is held against movementtoward the pawl 18.

The other long edge of the plate 8 is formed with a. longitudinal seriesof ratchet teeth 29 in position to be engaged by a tooth 30 on one endof a pawl 31 pivoted to the inner face of the front of the casingadjacent the plate 8. The pawl 31 has a con,- tinuation on that side ofits pivot remote from the tooth 30 and there terminates in another tooth32, while pivoted adjacent that end of the pawl 31 having the tooth 32is an arm 33 provided with an intermediate notch 34 in which the toothmay lodge under conditions to be described. The pawl 27 and the arm 33are connected together by a spring 35 so arranged as to tend to move thearm 33 toward the pawl 31 and the pawl 27 toward the pawl 24e. That endof the pawl 31 formed with the tooth 3() is connected by a spring 36 tothe pawl 2-1 and the tendency of this spring is to move the tooth 30 ofthe pawl 31 into engagement with the ratchet teeth 29 and the tooth 25of the pawl 24: into engagement with the ratchet teeth 28a.

Fast to the inner face of the front wall of the casing 1 is a coin chute37 having a portion 38 constituting a. coin guide and another portionserving as an abutment for a coin, while between these two parts 38 and39 there is an opening 4i() in part covered by a projecting lip 41. Theopening 410 and lip 41 serve for the escape of a coin from the chute tothe space provided between the finger 10 and the pawl 18, the coinlodging upon the toe 19. rlhe receiving end of the coin chute 87 ishigher than the escape end, so that a coin will gravitate to the coincontrolled mechanism7 and produced through the front plate ot thecasingis a slot 42 for the reception of the coin, this slot being ofappropriate length and thickness. At one side of the slot 42 there isformed a wing 43 tending to direct the coin away from the opening 40 asit is introduced into the coin chute, so that there is little chance ofeX- tiacting a coin after having been once introduced into the chute.

ln F ig. 8 of the drawings there is shown a coin 44 which is assumed tohave been already introduced into the chute through the coin slot 42 andto have gravitated into the space between the linger 10 and pawl 18, andlodging on the toe 19 between which and the corresponding portion oitthe finger 10 the space is too small to permit the further passage ofthe coin. lt now pressure be applied upon the manipulating portion orhead 4 oi the slide 6, the linger 10 through the coin will move the pawl18 about its pivot 17 and against the normal tendency ot the spring 22,so as to carry the tooth 20 out of the notch 1G, when, because of therelation ot the pivot 17 to the linger 13, the tooth 2O will simply ridealong the corresponding portion of the inger 13 permitting the plate 8to travel along the slot 7. This movement is not at all resisted by thetooth 3() since the latter simply trails along the ratchet teeth 29,these teeth being pointed in the proper direction for the purpose. Theteeth of the ratchet 28a are, however, pointed in a direction which if'engaged by the tooth 25 of the pawl 24 would hold the plate 8 againstfurther progressive movement under the pressure exerted upon themanipulating head 4. However, in the nor- .mal operation of the partsthe pawl 24 is held out ot active position and against the normaltendency of the spring 36 by the spring 85 and consequently under theseconditions the pawl 24 is inactive. rlhe progressive movement ot theplate 8 is contin- `ued until the parts assume about the position shownin Fig. 4 where the coin 44 has traveled along the iinger 10 and pawl 18until the space between these two parts where occupied by the coin hasincreased until the coin may escape by gravity or be discharged by thepressure being exerted. Just prior to the parts reaching the positionshown in Fig. 4, in which gure the limit of travel ot the movable partsin the active direction is indicated, the tooth 30 is engaged by thelinger 12 and this tooth being suitably beveled the pawl 81 is rocked onits pivot against the action ot the spring 3G putting the latter undergreater tension than before. At the same time the tooth 32 whichnormally is to one side and out of the notch 84 moves along the arm 83until coincident with the notch 34 when the spring 85 causes a movementoil the arm 33 suiiicient to lodge the tooth 32 in the notch 84 and thetooth and notch are so related as to cause a locking ot' the pawl 31against the action oi' the spring 36.

Simultaneously with the actions so tar described with respect to thepawl 31 and arm 34, the finger 11 is brought into engagement with thepawl 27 in a manner to rock this pawl aga-inst the action of the spring85 and carry its tooth 28 out oi" engagement with the shoulder 2G,whereupon the tension of the spring 36 causes a rocking of the pawl 24until its tooth 25 engages behind the last one et' the teeth of theratchet 28a toward the finger 11. rihe pawl 24 then arrests furthermovement et the plate 8' and the actuating means therefore in the activedirection. Now, if pressure upon the manipulating head4be relieved, thespring 22 which by the rocking of the pawl 18 during the active movementof the plate 8 has been put under additional tension, causes the tooth2O to act on the finger 18 in a manner to return the plate 8 toward theinactive position. ri`his inactive movement of the plate 8 carries thelinger 11 away from the pawl 27 and the finger 12 away from the tooth80, but the tooth 28 of the pawl 27 cannot reach the shoulder 26 of thepawl 24 since this pawl has been moved to too great an extent to permitsuch action. rThe pawl 81 is held with its tooth 30 away from theratchet 29 by the locking of the tooth 32 in the notch 84 and the plate8 is free to return to the full extent ot its inactive movement. Justbefore the limit of such inactive movement is reached, the end oit' theplate 8 carrying the linger 12 engages the corresponding end of the arm33 and moves it out of engagement with the pawl 31, so that the spring86 may act on the pawl 81 to carry the tooth 80 into the path of theratchet 29, while a terminal shoulder 45 of the ratchet teeth 28 engagesand rocks the pawl 24 in a direction to carry its tooth 25 out of thepath of the teeth 28 and the tooth 28 of the pawl 27 moves intoengagement with the shoulder 2G and so locks the pawl 24 in the inactiveposition. However, when the parts have again reached the position shownin Fig. 3 the tooth 20 snaps into the notch 16 under the action of thespring 22 and the plate 8 is once more locked against active movementand can only be again placed in the act-ive condition by the insertionof a proper coin.

The movement of the slide 6 brings about the desired vending, but thevending side of the machine does not enter into the present inventionand speciiic description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

The pawl 8l prevents any action of the manipulating means less than afull stroke, -While the paivl 24 prevents active movement of themanipulating means after the return stroke has begun, so that anyattempt to manipulate the device other than in the proper Way isprevented by one or the other of the tivo pawls, While the paivl 18prevents any manipulating 01"' the device unless a suitable. coin ortollen be introduced. No amount of shaking of the device or no turningot the device in dierent positions Will result in unlocking the coincontrolled mechanism, so that the only recourse is to introduce a propercoin it it be desired to obtain material from the vending` side of themachine.

The linger l0 is so arranged as to move across the opening 40 et thecoin chute to an extent to prevent any return 01"' the coin into thechute after the active movement of Vthe manipulating means hascommenced, even though the machine be inverted, While the inger 10 Wherejoining the plate S is provided with an otset 46 to cause an enlargementot the space in which the coin is lodged toV facilitate the discharge otthe coin as the parts approach the limit of active movement.

What is claimed is lfln a coin controlled mechanism for vendingmachines, a reciprocable slidable member provided with accessible meansfor its manipulation, a separate oppositely acting locking means for theslidable member, holding means for the locking means arranged in thepath of the slidable member .at the ends of its travel for operationthereb v, and another locking means for the slidable member activethereto in the absence or" a proper coin and yieldable on the'insertienof a proper coin to a manipulating torce applied to the slidable member.4

2. In a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidablemember having oppositely directed ratchet teeth, parvis, one for eachset of ratchet teeth, locking members for the paWls for holding them inthe inoperative position, actuating members for the paivls carried bythe slidable member, and a locking device in the pathl of the slidablemember and yieldable to active movement of the slidable member throughthe intermediary of an inserted coin.

3. In a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a suitablemember, separate oppositely-acting pawl and ratchet means for lockingthe slidable member against movement in either direction, meanscontrolled by the slidable member for locking one or the other of thepawl and ratchet locking means in the inactive position, and means forlocking the slidable member against active movement, said last-namedmeans being yieldable to a force applied thereto by the slidable memberthrough an inserted coin.

l-. In a coin controlled mechanism tor vending machines, a slidableplate provided with oppositely directed ratchet teeth, parvis inoperative relation to the ratchet teeth, locking devices, one lor eachpan'l, for holding them in the inoperative position, said lockingdevices being located in the path of the slidable member at respectivelimits of its movement in opposite directions, and a paWl devicenormally in the path of the slidable member in the direction ot itsactive movement for preventing such active movement, said last-namedpawl device being yieldable to the slidable member through theintermediary of an inserted coin.

ln a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidable plateprovided at the corners with projecting fingers and along opposite sideswith oppositely directed ratchet teeth, pa\vls, one for each set otratchet teeth, locking members individual to the paivls and in the pathof certain of' the' lingers of the slidable member, spring connectionsbetween the pawls, spring connections between the locking members,another pivoted paivl in the pat-h of another of the lingers of theslidable member on its active movement, said paivl and linger havingenacting locking means, and a spring :tor the last-named paivl tendingto move it into locking engagement with the respective linger of theslidable member.

G. ln a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidable plateprovided at the corners With projecting lingers and along' oppositesideswith oppositely directed ratchet teeth, paivls, one for each set oitratchet teeth, locking members imlividual to the pawls and in the pathel certain of the lingers of the slidable member, spring connectionsbetween the paivls, spring connections betive'en the locking members,another pivoted paivl in the path of another of the fingers of theslidable member en its active movement, said paivl and linger havingcoacting locking means, and a spring for the last-named paivl tending tomove it into locking engagement with the respective tinger of theslidable member, said mechanism being also provided With a coindirecting' chute located to deliver a coin between the last named pawland the last-named linger of the slit able member.

7. ln' a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidablcplate having oppositely directed ratchet teeth on opposite edges andprovided at the corners with lingers projecting in different directions,one ot the lingers having a terminal portion provided With a notch, apawl having a tooth in operative relation to one set of ratchet teethand also provided with a shoulder at the toothed end, and the other pawlhaving a toot-h in operative relation to the other set of ratchet teethand at the end remote from said tooth being provided With another tooth,a spring connecting those ends of the paWls adjacent the ratchet teeth,a loclr member for the firstnamed paivl movable into and out ofengagement with the shoulder thereon, a notched lock member for thesecond named paivl movable into and ont of engagement With thesecond-named tooth oie the second named pawl, spring connectionsbetvveen the loclr members, and said lock members being located in thepath oi lingers on the slidable member, and another pavvl in the path ofthe notched finger and having a tooth adapted to said notch, said lastnamed pavvl being provided With a controlling spring having a normaltendency to hold its tooth in the notch in the linger and With means forarresting an inserted coin in position to be engaged by thecorresponding end of the slidable member.

S. ln a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidablemember having accessible actuating means and a pivoted member having itspivot point to one side of the line of movement of the slidable memberand provided with a controlling spring tending to hold the pivotedmember in end engagement With the slidable member, said controllingspring also acting through the pivoted member to move the slidablemember toward its normal position, and said pivoted member and slidablemember having coacting parts for holding a coin between them and othercoacting parts for normally locking the slidable member' against activemovement in the absence of a coin.

9. In a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidablemember, a pivoted member in the line of movement ot the slidable member,said pivoted member and slidable memberl having coacting parts for thereception of a coin between them, and a spring for the pivoted member'tending to move said pivoted member toward the slidable member and toactuate the slidable member toward its normal position, said slidableand pivoted members having coacting parts for holding the slidablemember in the normal position in the absence of an inserted coin.

l0. In a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidablemember, a pivoted member having its pivot point at one side of the lineof movement of the slidable member, and a spring for the pivoted membertending to move the same toward the slidable part and to actnate theslidable member toivard its normal position, said slidable member andpivoted member having coacting parts for holding the slidable member inthe normal position in the absence ot an inserted coin, said coactingparts comprising a tooth on the pivoted member and a notched finger onthe slidable member.

ll. in a coin controlled mechanism for' vending machines, a slidableplate provided 'at one end with a curved iinger and with another lingerin spaced relation to the same end of the slidable member carrying thecurved iinger, and a pivoted member in spaced relation to said end ofthe slidable member and provided with a tooth adapted to engage thesecond named finger, the latter having a notch in position to receivesaid tooth, and means for directing a coin into the space between theslidable member and the pivot member.

l.. In a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidableplate provided at one end with a curved finger and With another inger inspaced relation to the same end of the slidable member carrying thecurved finger, and a pivoted member in spaced relation to said end ofthe slidable member and provided with a tooth adapted to engage thesecond named iinger, the latter having a notch in position to receivesaid tooth, and means for directing a coin into the space between theslidable member and the pivoted member, the second named finger of theslidable member and the tooth on the pivoted member being offset withrelation to the members carrying them and the pivoted member beingprovided with a coin receiving toe to hold an inserted coin between thetivo members.

13. ln a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidablemember' and a pivoted member normally spaced apart a distance 0Vreaterthan the diameter of a suitable coin, said members having the coinengaging portions in line one with the other, with the slidable memberprovided With a notched finger extended toward the other member to oneside of the coin space between them, and With the pivoted memberprovided With a tooth similarly extended toward the slidable member andnormally lodged in the notch in the finger to lock the slidable memberagainst manipulation, said pivoted member having a coin support normallyin the path of an inserted coin and also provided with elasticconstraining means permitting it to yield to a force applied thereto bythe slidable member through an inserted coin in a direction to cause theunseating of the tooth from the notch.

14. In a coin controlled mechanism for vending machines, a slidablemember, accessible means ior its manipulation including an angle leverhaving an arm in position to move the slidable member and an- Intestimony that We claim the foregoing 10 other arm in position to beactuated by the as our own We have hereto aiixed our sigoperator of themachine, separate oppositely natures in the presence of two witnesses.acting locking means for the slidable .mem-

'T ber, and another lockingrmeans for the slid- GRIN LOREN BRISTOL.

able member, active thereto in the absence ALBERT FRANK VORCE.

of a proper coin and yieldable on the insertion of a proper coin `to y.amanipulating force applied either directly to the siidable member orapplied thereto through the lever.

Witnesses:

LOUISE R. TAYLOR, GLADYS P. Cross.

Copies of this patent maybe `.obtained for iye cents each, byadidressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1).,0.

